The Edmonton Oilers are not for sale.
That was the message Tuesday from Cal Nichols, chairman of the 33-member group that owns and operates the NHL franchise.
Nichols said the Edmonton Investors Group resoundingly rejected the latest bid of $185 million from local tycoon Daryl Katz to buy the team. He said they also passed a motion declaring the team is not for sale.
“This is not about dollars. This is about Edmonton,” Nichols said at a news conference.

Long time listeners of AM 640’s “Leafs Lunch” (which certainly includes us around here) will know that Bill Watters and Jeff Marek are adding to their schedules, now doing their hockey talk and more from 4-7pm ET. Today is the debut for their new program.

Whatever you do, don’t tell veteran broadcaster, hockey executive and former player agent Bill Watters that it’s not possible to get excited about life at age 64.
On Tuesday, the Orillia native embarked on another chapter of his life, with the debut of The Bill Watters Show on Toronto’s AM640 radio.
The show will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and go head-to-head against The FAN590’s Prime Time Sports, hosted by sports radio legend Bob McCown.

“It’s a sham,” Dick Pound, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, told ESPN.com last week, reiterating his previous criticisms of the NHL’s drug-testing policy that made him public enemy No. 1 among NHL types, from deputy commissioner Bill Daly to famed Canadian TV analyst Don Cherry.
Those NHL types still question Pound’s agenda and what they believe is his lack of understanding of NHL policies.
“We could really care less what Dick Pound has to say,” Daly told ESPN.com. “He has no idea what our program is or what it provides for, so by definition, he’s speaking from ignorance. Just as importantly, he has no credibility left. Not a single person I know, either inside and outside the Olympic community, has any respect for what he has to say anymore.”

Luke Richardson is coming home.
The Sun has learned the 20-year NHL veteran has agreed to a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Ottawa Senators that includes a minor-league clause. Richardson, an Ottawa native, is expected to sign the deal in the next 24 hours and then a formal announcement will be made.

Courtesy of our friend Roman at eNHL.cz, we have this photo of Dominik Hasek doing his “Dominator” thing… On his last day of some R & R, Hasek decided to take in some golf today. As you can see, he forgot his shoes and look at that intense concentration.
Dom starts his off-ice training tomorrow in preparation for the upcoming season. Don’t foget your skates, please!!!

The Edmonton Investors Group (EIG), headed up by chairman Cal Nichols, held a news conference Tuesday afternoon to announce Katz’ latest offer had been turned down. Nichols also announced today that the group has voted to declare the team not for sale.
Katz, who owns the Rexall Pharmacy chain, made a $170 million offer last month that included more than an investment in the hockey club.
‘‘I am also prepared to make a significant additional investment of time and money towards the development of a new downtown arena facility for the team and the city if that’s what the people of Edmonton want,’’ Katz said.

The Devils announced that they have signed forward Arron Asham to a new contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Asham, 29, is entering his ninth NHL season, having spent the last four with the New York Islanders. The 5-11, 210-lb. wing recorded 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in a career-high 80 games in 2006-07.
“Arron Asham is a veteran forward who brings a level of toughness, intensity, and feistiness to our lineup,” said Devils’ CEO/President/General Manager Lou Lamoriello.

It’s hard to believe that, less than 18 months after stumbling to their worst record in 27 years and third-worst in franchise history, the St. Louis Blues have as much going for them as they do.
But they do, and Western Conference playoff bubble teams – I’m looking at you, Dallas, Minnesota and Nashville – should realize this particular object in their rearview mirror is definitely closer than it appears.

• And how big a stiff might Penner – a former University of Maine standout – be in Edmonton? The occasionally lazy forward is mentioned in the same vein as all-time “flopperoo” Alexander Daigle by Sportsnet.ca’s Alan Adams. Maybe Adams knows something that Kevin Lowe overlooked in the large lad.
• The expansion lineup is as follows: Kansas City, Las Vegas, Portland, Houston. …

Hockey high-tech is about to end an institution. The era of goal judges – as we knew them – is over. The NHL’s red light-flickers no longer will be seated behind the nets.
In most cases, teams will relocate them to press boxes where they’ll still be able to push the goal switches. But goal decisions ultimately will be made by the referees or, if necessary, the league’s War Room in Toronto.

Versus can ice its National Hockey League deal after the upcoming season, a move that could allow ESPN to skate back into the pucks sport.
The Comcast-owned service has the right to end its NHL deal after the 2007-08 campaign, according to league deputy commissioner Bill Daly, who also said the hockey circuit can pull out of the deal based on whether Versus reaches certain distribution thresholds.
Daly, though, expects Versus to pick up the three-year option that would give the network TV and broadband rights through the 2010-11 season.

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